Brenna White Posts Double-Double in Volleyball Season Opener
Box Score BLOOMFIELD, N.J. (Sept. 4, 2012) – The Mercy College volleyball team opened its season with a five-set thriller at Bloomfield College in which reigning NCAA kills champion sophomore outside hitter Brenna White (Gardnerville, Nev.) recorded a double-double with 18 kills and 10 digs.
The Mavericks kept the errors under control as they traded sets with the Deacons, capitalizing on Bloomfield's -.261 and -.029 attack percentages in the second and fourth sets to even the match twice, but finally succumbed in the fifth on a -.167 percentage of their own. The Mavericks start the season 0-1 with the defeat while Bloomfield starts at 1-0.
Mercy steadily built a lead and extended it to as much as 22-16 in the first set, but Bloomfield stormed back with five straight points amidst a 7-1 run that tied things up at 23-23. The Mavericks still had chances to put the set away at 24-23 and 25-24, but the Deacons took the final three points to go up 1-0.
The second set played out similarly as Mercy built up an 18-12 lead before Bloomfield could get things together, but by the then it was too late as the Mavericks had taken 12 of the final 16 points to close the set out at 25-16.
Mercy was unable to build any momentum, however, as Bloomfield turned the tables in the third set, controlling the early portion before Mercy tied it up at 12-12.The teams traded blows up to 17-17, when Bloomfield closed things out with eight of the final nine points.
Down a set in the fourth, Mercy again took some time to establish an attack, never leading by more than two until a seven-point run with senior middle blocker Kassy Phillips (Marcellus, N.Y.) serving put the Mavericks one point away from tying the match. Three serves later, the teams headed into the fifth set, where Bloomfield gained a crucial four-point lead to open the deciding set and controlled play throughout, cruising to the 15-7 victory.
White's 18 kills made her the only Maverick to reach double-digits, while junior libero Mallorie Hopkins (Commerce, Calif.) picked up 13 digs and junior setter Nicolette Gebhardt (Pine Bush, N.Y.) made 36 assists covering for injured sophomore McKenna Ronan (Chandler, Ariz.) Phillips added an impressive three solo blocks and freshman middle blocker Kat Hirsh (Haworth, N.J.) served up four aces.
Senior outside hitter Da'Cheray Thomas (Newark, N.J.) and junior middle hitter Dominic Spivey (Newark, N.J.) led the Deacons with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while senior setter Allison Hart (Pagosa Springs, Colo.) made nine digs. Hart also led the squad with 15 assists splitting time with sophomore setter Karol Oliveros (Newark, N.J.).
Head Coach Taneisha Cantave and the Mavericks will take on Chestnut Hill College (1-4) and Le Moyne College (2-2) in a tri-match on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Le Moyne. The Mavericks will play the 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. matches.
